When The Temp Gets Cold, These Penguins Get Together!

The Rainforest Site

By The Rainforest Site

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Emperor penguins, which are perhaps the most recognizable penguin species, make their home at the Antarctic South Pole. As you can probably tell, the Antarctic South Pole can get very cold. The average temperature at the South Pole during the winter is −60° Celsius! They spend so much time in cold temperatures that their bodies are specially adapted to withstanding well-below-freezing temperatures.

However, when it gets really cold, these beautiful birds have developed a clever way to keep warm — they all gather on a central point, moving the huddle in waves, to use their collective body temperature so they don’t freeze. In the video, you’ll notice the huddling penguins are primarily adults — the younger penguins and hatchlings are tucked underneath the adult penguins (in between their legs) and this will keep nice and comfortable during the winter season.

Watch the video to see the incredible convergence of hundreds of emperor penguins.

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